December Solstice 2026 start time in your time zone
The solstice instant for the December solstice 2026 is at 20:50 UTC on Monday 21 December 2026, the same instant everywhere on Earth.
The U.S. Naval Observatory publishes the solstice to the minute in Universal Time. The calendar date depends on your time zone.
The December 2026 solstice occurs at 20:50 UTC on 21 December. See the exact moment in your time zone and in 24 world cities.
Solstice instant in 24 world cities
| City | Local time | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 12:50 PM PST | Mon 21 Dec |
| Mexico City | 2:50 PM CST | Mon 21 Dec |
| New York | 3:50 PM EST | Mon 21 Dec |
| São Paulo | 5:50 PM UTC-3 | Mon 21 Dec |
| London | 8:50 PM GMT | Mon 21 Dec |
| Lagos | 9:50 PM UTC+1 | Mon 21 Dec |
| Paris | 9:50 PM CET | Mon 21 Dec |
| Berlin | 9:50 PM CET | Mon 21 Dec |
| Cairo | 10:50 PM EET | Mon 21 Dec |
| Moscow | 11:50 PM UTC+3 | Mon 21 Dec |
| Dubai | 12:50 AM GST | Tue 22 Dec Next day |
| Mumbai | 2:20 AM IST | Tue 22 Dec Next day |
| Colombo | 2:20 AM UTC+5:30 | Tue 22 Dec Next day |
| Dhaka | 2:50 AM UTC+6 | Tue 22 Dec Next day |
| Bangkok | 3:50 AM UTC+7 | Tue 22 Dec Next day |
| Jakarta | 3:50 AM UTC+7 | Tue 22 Dec Next day |
| Singapore | 4:50 AM SGT | Tue 22 Dec Next day |
| Manila | 4:50 AM PHT | Tue 22 Dec Next day |
| Beijing | 4:50 AM UTC+8 | Tue 22 Dec Next day |
| Hong Kong | 4:50 AM HKT | Tue 22 Dec Next day |
| Seoul | 5:50 AM UTC+9 | Tue 22 Dec Next day |
| Tokyo | 5:50 AM JST | Tue 22 Dec Next day |
| Sydney | 7:50 AM AEDT | Tue 22 Dec Next day |
| Auckland | 9:50 AM NZDT | Tue 22 Dec Next day |
About the event
The December solstice is the moment the Sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky. It marks the start of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere and astronomical summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
The U.S. Naval Observatory lists the 2026 December solstice at 20:50 UTC on 21 December. The calendar date in your time zone can differ from 21 December.
- Where
- Everywhere on Earth
- Published in
- Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
- Status
- Confirmed
- Organiser
- U.S. Naval Observatory
Sources
Start time last checked against the official source on 30 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What time is the solstice instant for the December solstice 2026?
- The solstice instant for the December solstice 2026 is at 20:50 UTC on Monday 21 December 2026, the same instant everywhere on Earth. The U.S. Naval Observatory publishes the solstice to the minute in Universal Time. The calendar date depends on your time zone.
- What time is the December solstice 2026 in New York, Los Angeles, London, India and Sydney?
- New York: 3:50 PM EST on Monday 21 December 2026; Los Angeles: 12:50 PM PST on Monday 21 December 2026; London: 8:50 PM GMT on Monday 21 December 2026; Mumbai: 2:20 AM IST on Tuesday 22 December 2026; Sydney: 7:50 AM AEDT on Tuesday 22 December 2026.
- Where is the December solstice 2026 seen?
- Everywhere on Earth.
- How do I add the December solstice 2026 to my calendar?
- Use Add to calendar on this page to download an .ics file for Apple Calendar or Outlook, or to open the event in Google Calendar. The entry stores the exact start in UTC, so your calendar shows it in your own time zone.